Hoops Links: Barton, Spurs, Towns
Every Sunday, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Then you should send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown…
- The Sports Quotient is impressed with Will Barton.
- The Love of Hoops broke down Raptors vs. Spurs.
- The AOSN sees big things for Karl-Anthony Towns.
- Six Championship Drive revisted predictions at the 1/4 mark.
- Blazer’s Edge explains how to improve Portland’s backcourt.
- Mavs Moneyball thinks Justin Anderson is too good for the D-League.
- Grizzly Bear Blues examines Matt Barnes‘ role with the Grizzlies.
- Blog a Bull wants more out of Derrick Rose.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Western Notes: Towns, Felton, McDaniels, Bledsoe
Early in the 2015/16 season, we’re seeing rookies shine all across the NBA, as Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press writes. That group of bright youngsters includes Timberwolves rookie Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been a force on both ends of the floor for Minnesota. Averaging 15.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG, and 2.3 BPG, Towns appears to be on his way to stardom.
“I think about the things I’m asking him to do against the people I’m asking him to do it against and I have to always remind myself that he’s 19,” Wolves interim coach Sam Mitchell said, “that he should be a sophomore in college.”
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Raymond Felton never was more than a fringe rotation player during his first season in Dallas, but his teammates respect the way that he carried himself during that time, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. Felton’s reputation was in tatters after a rough divorce and felony gun charges while in New York. Now, Mavs players like Devin Harris and Deron Williams say that Felton is a model teammate. Felton is set to hit the open market next summer after earning $4.54MM this season.
- The Rockets have recalled K.J. McDaniels from the D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston announced (on Twitter). McDaniels became the Rockets’ first D-League assignment of the season when the team sent him down last week. McDaniels, 23 in February, has seen just six total minutes across three games for Houston so far this season. In his rookie season, McDaniels averaged 7.9 PPG and 3.2 RPG across 62 games for the Rockets and Sixers.
- Suns guard Eric Bledsoe has taken his dynamic skills to the next level by playing with more purpose and passion than ever before, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. There were conflicting reports as to whether the Suns were talking about trading Bledsoe around draft time, but there has been additional word since then indicating that Phoenix was not looking to move the 25-year-old. Through nine games, Bledsoe ranks tenth in the NBA for points per game (23.2) and fourth for steals per game (2.1).
Lakers Notes: Kobe, Upshaw, Russell
On Sunday night, Kobe Bryant played a season-high 36 minutes and helped lead the Lakers to a 97-85 win over the Pistons. However, playing those kinds of minutes at the age of 37 doesn’t come without consequence.
“I’m not looking forward to walking to the car right now,” Bryant said, as Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com writes. “Seriously.”
The sore and achy Bryant will take off Monday’s contest against the Suns but he should be ready to go against the Raptors on Friday night. Here’s more out of Los Angeles:
- Phil Jackson made waves in September when he predicted that Bryant might continue playing in 2016/17, but not with the Lakers. When asked about such a possibility, the future Hall of Famer was adamant that will not be the case. “I’m a Laker for life,” Bryant said, as Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops writes. “I’m not playing anywhere else no matter what. It’s just not going to happen. I bleed purple and gold and that’s just how it’s going to be.”
- Lakers D-League prospect Robert Upshaw has battled with substance abuse problems in the past, but he firmly believes that he’s now on the right path, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times writes. “I just surround myself with the right people,” said Upshaw of his lifestyle changes and battle to stay sober. “I’ve always been a yes-man, I still kind of am to this day, but I have people around me to help me with that. It’s tough man, I still struggle with it. I’m not perfect. My thing is, I got the help that I need and have people around me. I’m doing really well right now. I’m making all my meetings and everything. I’m just laying low and that’s pretty much what I had to do.” Upshaw was waived by the Lakers prior to opening night, but he knew that would be the case before signing on with L.A. and he’s not presently considering any overseas opportunities.
- Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) wonder if rookie D’Angelo Russell is the right guy for the Lakers and if this team might be holding him back.
Heat Notes: Green, Whiteside, Wade
Gerald Green returned to practice with the Heat on Saturday and was remorseful for having missed time. However, as Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes, Green declined to get into the specifics of what caused his absence.
“This whole situation, to me, was an incident that I’m ashamed of,” said Green, who missed six games and has been suspended for the last two for conduct detrimental to the team. “I’m just trying to get over this situation. I can’t apologize enough to the residents that live in my building, my fans who support me and definitely my family and definitely this organization that’s had my back. It’s a situation I’m not proud of, but I’m ready to move forward.”
Here’s what we do know: On November 3rd, Green called in sick for a game against the Hawks. The next morning, according to Miami police, Green went to the lobby of his apartment building with bloodied hands and asked a front desk worker for help. He then fell down, punched a man upon getting up, and was so combative with rescue personnel that police had to handcuff him for the ambulance ride to the hospital. Still, no charges related to the incident have been filed and the Heat have welcomed Green back into the fold, so the bizarre event seems to be in the rear view mirror for all involved.
Here’s more out of Miami:
- Hassan Whiteside‘s bargaining position is soaring and there will be some interesting contractual decisions for the Heat after the season, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. If Whiteside were to accept a deal around $15MM/year from Miami (which is far from a certainty) and if Dwyane Wade accepted just $10MM for 2016/17, Miami would be left with ~$15MM for five spots, which would not be enough to go after the likes of Kevin Durant or DeMar DeRozan.
- The Heat are well positioned for Wade to move into a “Manu Ginobili role” whenever that time comes, but Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel isn’t ready to write him off yet, either. When Wade is in more of a reserve role, or no longer with the team even, Winderman is enthusiastic about a young, athletic team that features a smart veteran leader in Chris Bosh coupled with an inside presence like Hassan Whiteside.
- More from Winderman, who believes that owner Micky Arison will find a way for the Heat to avoid becoming the first team to pay the “repeater” luxury tax. One possible remedy for Miami could be to move Luol Deng for a player who earns significantly less, but it’s too early in the season to consider that and the tax is not computed until the season’s end.
Top Bloggers: Nate Parham On The Warriors
Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Troy Tauscher, who is a writer for Fansided’s Valley Of The Suns. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.
Next up is Nate Parham, who is the Managing Editor of SB Nation’s Golden State Of Mind. You can follow Nate on Twitter at @NateP_SBN and click here to check out his stories.
Hoops Rumors: Do you sense that the Warriors have picked up a lot of bandwagon fans since winning the title? Do you find that those fans are being embraced by the Warriors community at large or is there some sort of divide between them and those that have been fans for years?
Nate Parham: There’s no question that the Warriors have picked up a large group of bandwagon fans as a result of the championship. As a Warriors fan, I feel that “We Believe” was a flash in the pan that was exciting, but mostly in a way that diehards were best positioned to appreciate because it happened so fast after years of mediocrity. In this case, I’ve never seen so much Warriors merchandise or excitement in the Bay Area and that is definitely a sign that the Warriors have finally become cool.
Along those lines, I think the Warriors were in a unique position to expand their base. For the majority of the target demographic (18-35 year olds), they’d never really known much but losing and, as a result, a general lack of respect. And I have personally never met anyone who holds that up as a badge of honor; there’s nothing to really celebrate as valued knowledge during that time and I wouldn’t wish that torture on anyone. When the team is suddenly the “Brand New Hotness,” it’s mostly just sort of nice to have this thing you’ve invested so much emotion into finally get any type of respect. That bandwagon fans joining the party just makes it more exciting.
Hoops Rumors: Where is the expectation level for Warriors fans now? Is it title-or-bust?
Nate Parham: I think that depends on who you talk to. I think this whole thing is still sort of surreal for most people. Since the late ’70s, it’s not just that the Warriors didn’t make the playoffs much, it’s that they were never close to being a contender. Again, you sort of just have to appreciate the fact that the team is in the mix. I think another title would just be gravy at this point.
The West is tough, LeBron has a pretty easy path through the East, and there are a number of variables that could work against the Warriors this year that would lead to falling short. I fully expect this team to repeat, but if they don’t, there’s no reason that this group can’t grow from the experience and contend again next season. To me, it’s about continuing to grow and making moves to keep themselves at the top for as long as possible rather than winning every single year. It’s always interesting to note that the Spurs have never won back-to-back titles despite being considered one of the top franchises in all of U.S. pro sports.
Hoops Rumors: David Lee is out, Jason Thompson is in. What do you think the Warriors have gained in Thompson and how will the loss of Lee affect them?
Nate Parham: Well, I don’t think the loss of Lee will affect them much at all…but there are certainly Warriors fans who think that’s a huge loss. I just think that he did little for the team defensively and Harrison Barnes has been so effective as a small ball four that Lee really didn’t have a place on the team. The hope was that Thompson would be a defensive presence off the bench, but even with Bogut injured he has hardly played. So right now, all I can say we’ve gained is salary cap room because Thompson isn’t necessary to beat another team some consider a contender by 50.
Hoops Rumors: Big man Festus Ezeli did not sign an extension prior to the deadline. What was your reaction to that news? What do you think would have been a fair deal for both sides?
Nate Parham: There’s risk involved, certainly, as I really don’t think Ezeli’s value can go anywhere but up. He hadn’t played 82 games over a two year span due to injury so he had no leverage by signing now. Conversely, consider that a player like Enes Kanter got a four-year, $70MM contract to come off the bench for the Thunder this year; if Ezeli proves that he can be a functional starter for a contender this year, he’s going to command a lot of money. I’m sure he knew that. And with Bogut’s body only getting more worn down, it would make a ton of sense for the Warriors to be thinking about Ezeli as his homegrown replacement for the future.
Ultimately, reasonable money for Ezeli is probably in the $15MM per year range. Capable bigs are hard to find and if you’ve already invested the time and money developing one, you might as well hold on to him if possible.
Hoops Rumors: Barnes also broke off talks with the Warriors prior to the deadline. How do you see things playing out with him as he heads towards restricted free agency?
Nate Parham: Barnes is tricky. I’ve taken the position that not only does he fit the system but he’s also an extremely unique player in his 3-and-D versatility. I’m not one who believes he’ll be an All-Star, but he’s already becoming an elite role player and when you have Steph, Klay and Dray as your core, a young player like Barnes to go with them, that seems like a great recipe for success.
The big question is whether Barnes believes he could blossom elsewhere in an environment where he would be given more freedom to be his own man. I honestly believe that the big limiting factor for him is his handle and ability to consistently create offense: it’s nice to see him dunk on Dwight Howard, but it’s troubling to see Jamal Crawford shut him down in the post the next week. It’s hard to read minds, but if the Warriors do repeat it just seems silly to leave a championship situation. He has time to chase individual glory with his next contract; it makes far more sense right now for him to stick with a contender. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see the Warriors sign him for the exact contract that was turned down this summer.
Hoops Links: Pistons, Wolves, Lakers
On this date in 2005, 19-year-old Magic big man Dwight Howard became the youngest player to ever score 20 points and grab 20 rebounds in a game.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere:
- Total Sports Live praised Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy.
- The Sports Quotient celebrated the Pistons’ revival.
- Hoop Trends spoke with top D-League pick Jeff Ayres.
- Six Championship Drive evaluated the Pistons’ assets.
- Florida Sports View checked in on the Wolves.
- The Hardwood Nation is concerned about the Lakers.
- NetsDaily brings us the “First Fan.”
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Links: Ager, Pistons, Griffin
On this date in 1999, the Sixers paid tribute to the deceased Wilt Chamberlain when they hosted the Seattle SuperSonics. The Sixers observed a moment of silence and showed a video highlight from Chamberlain’s 100-point game in 1962.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere:
- Sir Charles In Charge sat down with former NBA vet Maurice Ager.
- Six Championship Drive has a plan to fix the Pistons’ bench.
- Florida Sports View looked at Blake Griffin‘s incredible start.
- The Sports Quotient says C.J. McCollum is primed for a big year.
- The Love Of Hoops recapped extension deadline day.
- The Hardwood Nation wonders if Victor Oladipo will rise to the occasion.
- Shaw Sports gave us their early season impressions.
- Nets Daily wants to see a new plan in BK.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Top Bloggers: Troy Tauscher On The Suns
Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Philip Rossman-Reich, who is the Managing Editor of Fansided’s Orlando Magic Daily. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.
Next up is Troy Tauscher, who is a writer for Fansided’s Valley Of The Suns. You can follow Troy on Twitter at @tt_sports and click here to check out his stories.
Hoops Rumors: Publicly, it seems that Markieff Morris has backed down from his trade demands or, at the very least, he’s not saying much about it. Do you think this is the last we’ll hear about Morris being dissatisfied in Phoenix? How do you see everything playing out? (Note: We asked this question before the latest comments from Marcus Morris).
Troy Tauscher: It’s really hard to write this paragraph given Markieff Morris’ rough start. Anyway, I’ve maintained that he’s still upset with Phoenix. However, I also think he values winning and playing well, and is truly prepared to make that his priority. The market for him isn’t favorable, so I don’t think he gets traded this season. If the Suns can eventually package him with other assets for a deal that improves the team, I don’t think they hesitate and I don’t think Morris will be upset that he’s leaving.
Hoops Rumors: The Suns didn’t land LaMarcus Aldridge, but they did add Tyson Chandler and Mirza Teletovic. What did you like about the Suns’ offseason? Were there any additional moves that you wish they made?
Troy Tauscher: I liked both signings, even though Teletovic can’t hit a shot to save his life right now. I also really liked the Devin Booker pick. If I could add one thing, I would have signed a backup point guard who can manage the offense but doesn’t demand time. Ronnie Price is a good locker room guy and a hound on defense, but he can’t manage the offense. If Bledsoe or Knight get hurt, I think that might be an issue. I also obviously wish Aldridge would have joined the Suns.
Hoops Rumors: How do you think Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe will mesh in the same backcourt?
Troy Tauscher: I think the Bledsoe-Knight pair is built to be a productive combination. The numbers say Knight was a very efficient spot-up shooter last season. He can work around Bledsoe attacking the rim. Knight can also create for Bledsoe by finding off-screen cuts that Bledsoe can finish. I like versatility, and the two have complementing skill sets that allow the Suns to diversify their offense. Defensively, I think it’s just a matter of Bledsoe taking the athletic challenge and giving Knight the secondary assignment.
Hoops Rumors: The Suns appear to have a lot of depth but they don’t have an elite star player. How do you see them addressing that in the years to come?
Troy Tauscher: The honest answer is that I have no idea. I’ve mentioned frequently that [GM] Ryan McDonough has some kind of dark wizard powers that allow him to just conjure up deals out of thin air. It’s impossible to guess who the available player will be. I mean, Aldridge was likely to stay with the Blazers for most of last season. The Suns do have good assets and a smart front office. I think it’s just a matter of waiting until they find the right guy at the right time.
Hoops Rumors: Playing in the Western Conference and in the Pacific Division isn’t an easy draw. What kind of record do you see the Suns winding up with in 2015/16?
Troy Tauscher: I have the Suns at 45 wins and the No. 8 seed, mostly because I’m not all in on the Jazz. I think it’ll be hard sometimes and I certainly don’t see that prediction as a lock. The more balanced attack they bring fixes some of their biggest flaws from previous seasons. It’s just about how much they want it and how much discipline they have on a nightly basis.
Hoops Links: Warriors, Spurs, Knicks
On this date in 2000, the NBA took five first-round picks away from the T’Wolves after it was ruled that the team and Joe Smith entered into a secret deal to circumvent the salary cap. Eventually, two of those picks were restored, but the damage was felt by Minnesota.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere…
- Hoops HQ discussed the Warriors and their bid to repeat at champs.
- The Sports Quotient isn’t sure if LaMarcus Aldridge fits with the Spurs.
- The Love Of Hoops is excited for Julius Randle.
- OutLoud Culture introduces the 89.5% club.
- The Hardwood Nation has some thoughts on the Knicks’ preseason.
- Sactown Royalty discusses the evolution of Marco Belinelli.
- Peachtree Hoops writes about Dennis Schröder‘s starting chances.
- Orlando Pinstriped Post ran down the tough games early in the Magic’s schedule.
- The Bird Writes examines Dell Demps‘ job security with the Pelicans.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Top Bloggers: Philip Rossman-Reich On The Magic
Anyone can have a blog about an NBA team, but some set themselves apart from the rest with the dedication and valuable insight they bring to their craft. We’ll be sharing some knowledge from these dialed-in writers on Hoops Rumors in a new feature called Top Bloggers. As with The Beat, our ongoing series of interviews with NBA beat writers, it’s part of an effort to bring Hoops Rumors readers ever closer to the pulse of the teams they follow. Last time, we spoke with Brian Robb, who is the owner and editor-in-chief of Celtics Hub, part of ESPN’s TrueHoop Network. Click here to see the entire Top Bloggers series.
Next up is Philip Rossman-Reich, who is the Managing Editor of Fansided’s Orlando Magic Daily. You can follow Philip on Twitter at @philrsquared and click here to check out his stories.
Hoops Rumors: What are your thoughts on Scott Skiles? Are you worried at all that his strict approach might not fit with the Magic?
Philip Rossman-Reich: Skiles has been pretty consistent everywhere he has gone. He has built his team up into consistency and competitiveness and then leveled off. That is about what we are expecting in Orlando in this latest coaching stint. As long as those are the expectations, I think things will be fine with Skiles overall. You just have to know and accept what he is at the end of the day.
I would have preferred to see the Magic hire a coach who had some potential long-term prospects. But the Magic really need a coach like Skiles, even if it lasts just three years. They need someone who is going to demand a bit more and light a fire under them. Jacque Vaughn and the previous coaching staff were very much a nurturing group; they allowed players to make mistakes and grow through experience. Now they have expectations to produce. They need a coach who will sit a player down when he makes a mistake and get someone in there who will get the job done.
Hoops Rumors: We’ve been hearing buzz about Mario Hezonja all summer long. Who would you say is his NBA comp? Where is his ceiling?
Philip Rossman-Reich: I haven’t been able to think of a good player comparison for Hezonja. Maybe he is a more athletic Peja Stojakovic? Probably not as good of a shooter. Hezonja still feels a bit of a blank slate. I am not quite sure what kind of player he can become.
His floor is pretty high though. He is a great shooter. A really good shooter and an underrated passer too. He has the famous bravado but he also seemed willing to learn throughout the preseason. He might have superstar ceiling. I think he still has to prove himself as a driver and offensive creator. In any case, I see him as a solid contributor as a rookie and moving forward through his career. He should be a solid guy for the Magic to have fill an important role for the team.
Hoops Rumors: Were you surprised at all that the Magic gave Tobias Harris a four-year, $64MM deal this offseason?
Philip Rossman-Reich: I really was not surprised. I expected Harris to get about $16MM per year. Whether he was actually worth that depends on what you think of Harris as a player. Even in that regard, I am not sure. Harris is just 23 years old and there are so few players who have put up his numbers at his age – there have been only 17 seasons since 2010 where a player 23 years old or younger has averaged 17 PPG and 7.0 RPG like Harris did last year. It is hard to let that go without getting something in return. From an asset retention standpoint, the Magic could not just let Harris walk. And where they are in their development, they needed to keep the talented and productive player rather than letting him walk. The price tag is just the cost of doing business.
Hoops Rumors: Victor Oladipo has been working on his outside shot this offseason. How scary will he be if he becomes a reliable 3-point shooter?
Philip Rossman-Reich: He will become very scary. The Dwyane Wade comparisons are apt, although he is not nearly the finisher that Wade is. Wade is an all-timer, but his lack of a 3-point shot has probably cut short some of his effectiveness and taken away a development of his game that could push him even further into the stratosphere. A 3-point shot would add so much to his game. It would add so much to the team. The Magic are desperate for shooters, so if Oladipo can become a competent 3-point shooter, that makes the team that much better. It adds another scoring outlet for Oladipo so he does not have to throw himself at the rim desperately.
Hoops Rumors: If you had to call it today, what kind of record do you see the Magic finishing with in 2015/16?
Philip Rossman-Reich: I think the Magic could finish anywhere from about 40 wins to back down to 28 wins again. They could show modest improvement, extreme improvement, or no improvement. This is largely the same roster as last year, so to expect the team to take a huge step up seems pretty far out there, though not impossible. Internal improvement and a better, more directed coach should mean improvement from last year. And significant improvement at that. I have the Magic winning about 32-36 games and I think they take a step forward as a team and improve pretty significantly this year, bringing a lot of promise for 2017.